Eight-year-old booked under gangster act in Uttar Pradesh

Lucknow, June 20 (IANS) An eight-year-old boy has been booked under the Goonda Act - a tough anti-gangster law, in Uttar Pradesh. The police Saturday promised an inquiry into the matter. Jagannath, a resident of Baghauli village in Hardoi district, was booked under the law about four months ago after his family was involved in a row with a neighbour. The

Goonda Act provides for preventive detention up to three months and imposes stringent conditions for bail.

“I want the police and district administration to take up the case at the earliest so that my son gets justice,” Jagannath’s father Rajju told reporters in Hardoi Saturday.

Rajju submitted an application for revoking of the order at the office of the sub divisional magistrate (SDM) in Hardoi, about 110 km from here.

Rajju said that around four months ago he had a conflict with his neighbours over sharing of a vacant plot near his house.

“Armed with wooden sticks and iron rods, the neighbours barged into my house and manhandled my family members. To protect them, I also retaliated,” said Rajju.

“Later, police reached the spot and took us to the police station. To my surprise, they did not register any case against my neighbours and instead booked my son,” he added.

When contacted, Additional Superintendent of Police Govind Agarwal expressed surprise over the incident.

“An immediate inquiry will be conducted in this matter and action would be taken against the erring policemen,” Agarwal told IANS.